Means to flare tube ends and to prevent their rupture



March 23, 1948; w. L. LINKER ET AL Filed Jan. 29, 1946 I I INVENTOR. 62W 2: 2 aaw cza. ma

Wang Y Patented Mar. 23, 1948 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE man, Cranston, R.I., assignors to Grinnell Corporation, Providence, R. I., a corporation of Delaware Application January29, 1946, Serial No. 644,110

This invention relatestd improvements in means to flare tube ends and to prevent their rupture. More especially it has'to do with flaring the end of tubing which has a longitudinal weakness such that it is likely to open up during the flaring operation.

It is an object of our invention to provide means which prevent rupture of the tubing while it is being flared and'which can readily be discarded when the flaring iscompleteI The best mode in which we have' contemplated applying the principles of our invention is shown in the accompanying drawings but these are merely illustrative for it is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable'expression in the claims whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the-drawingszp i Fig. 1 is an exploded view of'the flaring tool,

- the -resisting washer and a'section'of tubing;

Fig. 2 is an-elevation partly in medial longitudinal section, showing the elements arranged for the flaring to begin;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the changes in relations of the elements during the flaring operation; and

Fig. 4 is another similar view, showing the completion of the flaring.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, the tubing H! to be flared is one having a longitudinal weakness, such as a seam which results from making the tubing from flat sheet material. The edges of such a sheet are usually beveled and 50 disposed opposite one another in the finished tubing that the all-around thickness will be uniform. While the seam thus formed is tight enough to withstand the internal pressure to which the tubing may be subjected, it is not sufiiciently strong to permit the end of the tube being flared by an ordinary tool l2 such as is shown in the drawings.

This tool comprises a cylindrical shank |2a adapted to fit within the tubing, a cone-shaped portion l2?) constituting the flaring Surface and a head I20 which receives blows or a pressure that forces the shank and flaring surface within the tubing H]. A shoulder in is provided at the larger end of the flaring surface. If such a tool is driven into tubing having a weak longitudinal seam, the latter almost invariably opens up. In short, it is practically impossible to flare such tubing in the usual way.

Our invention resides in providing a resisting washer M which is made of strong but yieldable metal in the form of a dished ring. The diam- 2 V eter of the hole in this ring approximates that of the" shank In or the smaller end of the coneshaped' portion l2b of the flaring tool and from the edge I la of this hole the ring Mb diverges at '5 a suitable angle, say about 45, from the'axis' of the washer.

'Thedished washer, as shown in Fig. 2, is laid on the'top edge Illa of the tubing to be flared, and the shank 12a of the flaring tool is passed through the washer l4 and into the tubing until the edge l4a of the washer makes contact with the flaring surface I217. The tubing is now held by any suitable means (not shown) and the flaring tool forced further into the tubing. This may 15 be done by repeated blows of a hammer or by ressure imposed by a press.

As the tool advances into the tubing theTedge llla is gradually expanded and the wall oflthe tubing is gradually flared as at Illb. Simultaneously the washer I4 is deformed in that its top edge 14a is made larger and its ring llib assumes a lesser degree of divergence from the axis of the washer. (See Fig. 3.) During these changes in the tubing and washer the latter tightly engages the top edge of the tubing with resisting effect and prevents any opening up of the seam.

At the very endof the flaring operation the edge Illa of the tubing, is forced to the end of the flaring surface I 21), and the edge I la of the washer is expanded so that both edges rest against the shoulder Hit of the flaring tool. The latter can now be withdrawn and the washer removed, leaving a perfectly flared end on the tubing with the seam as strong as before the flare was made.

We claim:

1. Means for flaring tubing having a longitudinal seam, comprising a flaring tool having a shank fitting within the tubing, having a flaring surface to form the flare on the tubing and having a head adapted to be acted upon to force the flaring surface within the tubing; and a dishedshaped washer having a hole corresponding in size to that of the shank of the flaring tool and having a ring disposed outwardly at an angle to the axis of the washer; the washer being initially placed on the shank of the flaring tool with the inner edge of its ring resting on the edge Of the tubing and acting thereafter while the tubing'is flared to maintain a resisting force on the tubing to prevent opening-up of the said longitudinal seam; said washer being expanded simultaneously with the flaring of the tubing so as to be removable upon'the completion of the flaring operation.

2. Means for flaring tubing comprising a dished-shaped washer having a hole with a diforced into the tubing; said washer being remov able from the tubing upon the completionof the flaring operation.

3. Means for flaring tubing comprising 'a'fla'r ing tool having a tapered surface adapted "who forced into the tubing to effect the flaring therea of, and a dished-shaped Washer having the di ameter'of its inner edge approximating the di- 7 ameter of the smaller end of said surface; said washer being placed on the edge of said tubing With the said inner edge of the washeradjacent thefflaring surface and with the ring of the washer'exten-ding beside the tubing so themes the flared surface of the tool is forced into the tubing the washer maintains a'resisting force :on the tubing to prevent rupture of the tubingas the flaring thereof takes "place; said washer being expanded simultaneously withthe flaring of the tubing so as to. beremovable upon the completion'ofthe flaring operation.

4. Means for flaring tubing "comprising a dished shaped washer having its inner edgelof ,:a diameter approximating that of the inner diam eter of the tubing to' be flared andihaving :a ring diverging from saidinner edge: andafiaring tool having a diameter at its smaller end approximating that of the inner diameter of the tubing and having'a shoulder outstanding from the larger end of the flaring surface; the washer being placed on the edge of the tubingwith its ring extending beside the tubing so that as the flared surface is forced into the tubing the ring maintains a resisting force on the tubing to prevent rupture thereof during the flaring operation;

the edge of the tubing and the inner edge of the washer being both in contact with the said shoulder'at the termination of the flaring operation; and the washer being removable from the tubing at the completion of the flaring operation.

'5. Means for flaring tubing'comprising a flaring tool having a tapered surface adapted to be forced intothe tubing to flare the end thereof; and a dished-shaped washer having the diameter of the "inner edge of its ring approximating the diameter of the smaller end of said tapered surfaceand having, the diameter of the outer edge of its ring greater than the diameter of the larger end of said tapered surface; the washer being placedon the edge of the tubing with its ring diverging beside the tubing and being expanded while maintaining a resisting force on the tubing as the flared surface is forced into the tubing; the ring continuing to be divergent/in shape so thatiupon completion of therflaring operation the washer can be slipped off the edge-of the flaredtubing. w i y 'WILLIAM- LrLI'NKER. '7 JAMES .R; WELSHMAN;

REFERENCES. time? The following references are of record i-in-the file of this patent: U o V V UNITED" STATES PA ENTS l 

